


Nothing was the Same

by just_peachy



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Blind Character, Domestic Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Ignis POV, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Older chocobros, introspective!iggy, prompto is v supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-11 06:37:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13518594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_peachy/pseuds/just_peachy
Summary: It's a lonely evening and Ignis is deep within his thoughts...





	Nothing was the Same

**Author's Note:**

> Noctis survives post-Ch. 14, but Iggy is still blind. So this is one of the many timelines where Noctis lived, but Ignis was still blinded by the Kings. Just go with it!

Ignis has to remember to feel around for the things that he wants. There are bruises around his knees because well… he forgets that he needs to walk cautiously. He forgets the cane, because it is too tedious. His mind is already somewhere else, when it should be focused on cooking. Or trying to rebuild Lucis. But as usual, he is thinking ahead. 

The marble countertops in the kitchen have one corner with the cutlery. Ignis hates when it is on the left side. The right side has all the spices and the food processor he likes. If even one thing is out of place, it is wrong. And perhaps, Ignis smiles as he feels the braille that signals “red pepper” he should have thought of another curry dish to make.

Ignis should know better than to think ahead. But the present doesn’t matter as much does it? There would always be another meal to cook and another thing to do to serve Noctis. But right now, things are good? For the first time in so long they have been good. Noctis, by Ignis’ stubbornness and divine interference, survived. How and why, did that matter? All that mattered was that the world was going to be rebuilt. The children and the teenagers that were born from the the darkness did not know what it was like before the light went out. Ignis, could remember it clearly. 

The kings were not kind to him. Maybe in another world, they were. Or if he made his decisions differently, but he had a contingency plan for the one that didn’t work. Plan A and B would always fall through, so maybe C or D would work. And it did, didn’t it? 

Nothing could relish the swell of pride Ignis felt once he bowed to Noctis. Hearing Gladio and Prompto openly crying on either side of him when they were finally able to in the grandness of the Citadel, it made it all worth it. The ten years of darkness and his own body going forward. So what if Ignis couldn’t see it? Hearing the cracks in other’s voices and the change in tone from Gladio’s tenor to a sputtering mess of tears, there wasn’t anything more profound or honest. 

The one that shook Ignis the most, was Prompto’s reaction. Prompto had been the one that had stood at his side. And then after two years, Ignis understood why Prompto had left. The bubbly voice had faded. Ignis could hear the anguish, and it did hurt him. When Prompto would walk with him and when Prompto went on those hunts alone, Ignis did scold him. How could he go alone? 

And they had argued about it. Gladio was sometimes involved in those arguments as well. Prompto would leave and Ignis, more or less, understood why. It was tough on all of them. Ignis knew that all they had to do was wait. Intellectually speaking though, the wait was hard. Gladio wanted to be helpful to refugees around the continent along with Iris. Prompto though… patience was not his strong suit. It was his worst quality. Ignis could see the end, to defeat Ardyn and bring back the light to the world. That was the goal and the only thing that mattered. For Prompto however, after his friend had confided what had happened after the train. Everything that had transpired after the fact, it must have been too much. Ignis could hear the change in his voice. It was raw and it felt cold. 

It didn’t feel right at all. 

Sometimes, Ignis could hear the warmth of Prompto’s voice when he would stop by and wait for his cooking. Prompto would bring all of the ingredients for curry. They’d chat for a few hours. And then the conversation would steer towards Noctis. Even though it could have been 5, 7 or 9 years afterwards, their reunions were always the same. Prompto would seek him out. He would listen to Ignis discuss what the plan was when Noctis returned. These things would be on the surface, and Ignis always assumed they would be things that Prompto needed to hear. For his own comfort, Ignis wanted to tell someone else what the plan was as well. He needed to be reminded what it was. There were nights when he wouldn’t cook at all. Because supplies were scarce and children and mothers needed the meals. He could survive a day without food. Hell, he could have survived 10 days. 

Prompto would never let him do that though. 

He just wanted to talk. Prompto would guide him as Ignis cooked. He could feel Prompto poking his head from behind and sometimes resting his head on his shoulder. That was the other thing too, sometimes Ignis would let Prompto hold his hand while they talked. Prompto would tell Ignis stories about when he and Noctis would sneak out of the apartment after Ignis left to go and drink. Ignis would always remind him that somehow, Gladio would always find them at the same stupid bar. And Prompto would chime in and say that he liked it because all four of them would find each other eventually. 

Last year, Prompto told the story again. But he told it a bit differently. He held his hand this time and Ignis let him. Prompto had come in the winter, and Ignis was cold. So he reasoned, it would be okay to let this slip just once. Prompto said he had lied about the story. 

Ignis didn’t understand. He figured the night would end with Prompto taking off and thanking him for his company. Then… maybe they’d see each other next month. Even though it was always next year, Ignis just nodded and embraced the lie. That was the only thing he really didn’t like about Prompto: He always lied. And Ignis may not have noticed the way his friend’s face would change or the grimace of when he was truly sad, but Ignis always knew when Prompto lied. There was a way that Prompto would bounce on his heels when something was wrong. 

Prompto finally admitted that the story was a lie. “I only wanted to see you. But it was even better when you’d tell Noctis off. So I kept doing it.”

“Why?” Ignis already knew the answer and the way Prompto squeezed his hand confirmed it.

“You don’t think I’m an idiot,” Prompto began nervously. “Do you?”

“I don’t,” Ignis said. “You sometimes don’t think ahead, but you are not an idiot.”

“Did you notice at least?” Prompto asked. It seemed sincere. The bubbly voice was breaching back up. Ignis could feel Prompto’s body move closer to his own. It had been nine years but this was the first time that Ignis could hear something sincere. 

“I did,” Ignis smiled. And he remembered all the times they drove through the kingdom. And how Prompto insisted that they sit next to each other. How Prompto would change the station to something he knew Ignis probably liked, before switching the station again to something he despised. It made Noctis and Gladio laughed. Because, it got under his skin, the way Prompto just knew exactly which buttons to push. 

Did it bother him? No, because Prompto finally… finally kissed him that night. 

And Ignis kissed him back. They could lie to themselves the next day. They couldn’t use the excuse of being drunk. Ignis was already thinking about that, when that wasn’t fair to do. It was not fair and they weren’t thinking. And Ignis felt alone. They were both very much alone.

That night though, they weren’t. And in between Prompto kissing his eyes and his forehead and digging his hands through Ignis’ hair, he admitted it. Prompto confessed to it. He was afraid of never seeing the light again. He was afraid he’d starve to death. That’s why he went out when it was dangerous. Ignis suspected he had a death wish. Ignis did too, that’s why he had to think ahead all the time. At this point, what else was there to lose. A small part of his brain knew that maybe this was all for naught. That perhaps the darkness would swallow them all whole. It was pointless.

But that didn’t stop them. Prompto held onto him. Ignis kissed him back. Prompto took off his clothes and they were lonely. 

The only smell that lingered between them was the smell of curry. That’s the way Ignis remembered it either way. He was supposed to go for a hunt the next day. But instead, they just stayed together for a few days. Prompto would wake up laughing and Ignis would wonder what was so funny. They’d just kiss each other and that was easier. 

After the second day, Prompto said he had to go. But he promised, swore up and down, that he would be back in a week. He was going to help Cindy with something. He almost forgot about it and Ignis told him to go. 

Instead of a wait, Prompto really did come back. And he brought the ingredients he needed to cook something good. 

“We’re celebrating,” Prompto offered. “I killed something nice and yummy!”

“Oh really?” Ignis would play along and even he could feel himself smiling a bit more than usual.

A few days later, Ignis told Gladio about it. He hadn’t heard from him in maybe 6 months. Gladio laughed but thought that it was good. “Any news at this point is good news.”

“I thought you’d say something like that,” Ignis pursed his lips and grinned. 

“If he the one that fixed up your hair?” Gladio teased. “I like it.”

“I’m trying to convince him to fix his own,” Ignis shook his head. “Oh well.”

Ignis tried to remember what it was like before that. All he asked was for Prompto to be honest. And Prompto was, and Ignis loved that a little bit. Prompto made his life a little bit easier. Things didn’t feel as bad as they did before. He actually felt happy…

When Noctis came back, Ignis told Noctis what had happened. And Noctis, not missing a beat, said “About time.” He laughed about it before they set off towards Insomnia.

“See Prom,” Noctis said while they were on the outskirts. “You just should have said something sooner.”

“Yeah Buddy but,” Prompto tapped his feet around and Ignis followed their voices as they continued to walk. “I didn’t know he liked me… liked me like that!”

Gladio just laughed and Noctis did too. 

And after Ignis felt the sun’s rays on his neck and seeping through his Kingsglaive outfit, something had changed. He had made a promise and sacrifice. All he wanted was to know what it would be like to bow to his King while on the throne. And after that…

Maybe after that, he could fall in love.

“Listen Iggy,” Prompto’s voice boomed through the door. He wanted to turn around, but Prompto would come to him soon enough. “Noctis forgot he gave you the day off! So I had to beg him not to call you. Because, you know, we have been working for a year straight! Not me though, I need at least one day off every once in a while.”

Ignis started to chuckle, but Prompto was not finished yet.

“So anyways,” Prompto laid something on the kitchen island. It sounded like a bag of groceries. “Iris came up with this great idea for allowing refugees to come into the city. Much better than anything I could think of. But it’s a good idea. She’s going to tell you about it tomorrow.”

“She already messaged me,” Ignis said dryly. He opened the drawer with his free hand to dig around for a spoon. He tasted a bit of what he had. It was delicious “I like the proposal.”

“Did you get my message too?” Prompto’s voice, while older and weathered, seemed like it was back to normal. It was maybe the way Ignis remembered it before everything happened to them. Before the world was laced with that great evil of never knowing. Uncertainty, that was the thing that Ignis hated the most. He knew it was bad to overthink, but he wanted to know what the future held.

“Do you think you could teach me?” Prompto asked. “I can never get it to taste right whenever you are working late.”

“Maybe you should just wait for me,” Ignis said simply. 

“But I’ll be hungry!” Prompto whined and then giggled the next moment. “That’s not how it works Iggy. I’ll need you then, and that’s not good to just wait.”

“I suppose,” Ignis wanted to tease him. But Prompto came from behind to hug him tightly. “I guess I’ll just have to make more.”

Prompto’s chin dug into Ignis arm as he looked at the dish. Ignis could feel him resting his head on his shoulder. It felt wonderful. Even when Prompto snuck in a quick kiss on the cheek. 

“Someday,” Prompto said in a sing-song voice. “You are going to teach me Iggy.”

“Of course,” Ignis grinned. “I promise.”

Ignis wanted to know if Noctis could rebuild the kingdom to its former glory. He wanted to know who Gladio was seeing, because his friend was coy, as usual. Ignis also wanted to know if he and Prompto would be able to make it. But it seemed like if they were going to be like this, with Prompto giving Ignis everything he needed, then maybe they could make it.

They had survived misunderstandings and ten years of tension. Surely, they could survive more. 

“It’s okay,” Prompto spoke softly this time. In the voice Ignis liked to hear when it was just them. The honest voice. “We’ll have plenty of time.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea if this was good or not. I also realize I missed promnis week. I do not keep up with fandom at all HAHAHA. Real life prevents that which is good! 
> 
> But anyways, let me know what you think! I am on twitter @noctisserie and less so on tumblr @malinche.
> 
> Thank you!


End file.
